January 31, 1858 Tsunami: Tasman Sea, Australia

Name: January 31, 1858 Tsunami: Tasman Sea, Australia
Start: 1858-01-31
Location: Tasman Sea, Australia

January 31, 1858 · Questionable tsunami

A tsunami probably caused by an earthquake began at Tasman Sea, Australia on January 31, 1858. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.

Where the waves reached

The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.

Under 1 m
1 to 3 m
3 to 10 m
10 to 30 m
30 m and more
Height not recorded

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date: January 31, 1858
Source: Tasman Sea, Australia
Cause: Questionable earthquake
Runups recorded: 1
Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura): 3
Waters: Ocean
How certain: Questionable tsunami

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

On 5 February [31 January] 1858 an unusual ebb and flow of the tide was witnessed at New Town Bay with enough force to break a yacht from its moorings.

The Cornwall Chronicle, 6 February 1858, Microfilm records, State Library of Tasmania. Curious phenomenon. There was a most extraordinary flow and ebb of the tide yesterday in New Town Bay. The tide, which resembles the surfs at Madras, came in with such force as to break the Bishop's yacht away from her moorings, and with the ebb she was taken back again to her station. It is the opinion of many that some subterranean disturbance in the adjoining colonies was the cause of the phenomenon.

(above from reference #7675)

The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 February 1858. Tasmania--Tidal phenomenon. There was (says the Courier) a most extraordinary flow and ebb of the tide on Saturday, in New Town Bay. The tide, which resembled the surfs at Madras, came in with such force as to break the Bishop's yacht away from her moorings, and with the ebb she was taken back again to her station. It is the opinion of many that some subterranean disturbance in the adjoining colonies was the cause of the phenomenon.

(reference #7715)

The Courier, Hobart, 1 February 1858. Curious Phenomenon. There was a most extraordinary flow and ebb of the tide yesterday [31 January] in New Town bay. The tide, which resembled the surfs at Madras, came in with such force as to break the Bishop's yacht away from her moorings, and with the ebb she was taken back again to her station. It is the opinion of many that some subterranean disturbance in the adjoining colonies was the cause of the phenomenon. (reference #7695)

Every runup

Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.

Where	Country	Km from source	Water height, m	Inland, m	Measured by	First wave, UTC	Deaths
New Town, Tasmania	Australia				Eyewitness observation of water height

Every tsunami in 1858 The 1800s Tsunamis of Australia This day in weather history Alerts in force

Sources

Tsunami events and runups from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI tsunami event 4982.